Name:
Harbour porpoise
Scientific name:
Phocoena phocoena
Distribution:
Coastal waters of the northern hemisphere in the Atlantic and Pacific, also in the western and northern Baltic Sea
Description:
Compared to other toothed whales, the rostrum is much shorter
Weight and size:
Up to 90 kg and 180 cm in length
Lifespan:
Approx. 23 years
Diet:
Fish (herring, goby, cod, sole, sand eel), crustaceans
Predator:
Grey seals, great white shark
Threatened by:
Noise pollution, gill-net fisheries
IUCN red list status:
Least concern, Baltic Sea subpopulation is critically endangered
Special features:
The only cetacean species found in the Baltic Sea with two spatially separated populations.
Recent research projects:
Germany, 2012, Dähne, researchers are investigating effects of pile-driving on harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) at the first offshore wind farm in Germany
Netherlands, 2015, Leopold, researchers are observing predation of harbour porpoises by grey seals
Netherlands, 2015, Leopold, researchers are observing predation of harbour porpoises by grey seals
Photo Harbour porpoise © Peter Verhoog/Fjord&Baelt